


Bring You Back Up Again

by Shatterpath, theillogicalthinker



Series: Pyramid [15]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Amputation, F/F, Hospitalization, Lena is the best soft girlfriend, Surgery, Team as Family, stronger together, supportive friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-03-15 01:59:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13603179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shatterpath/pseuds/Shatterpath, https://archiveofourown.org/users/theillogicalthinker/pseuds/theillogicalthinker
Summary: With the immediate drama of Alex's injury and illness on the mend now, how will the big, messy family the gang makes take this in stride? Let's find out, shall we?Begins on January 2, 2017.Dedicated to Margot Kidder. Thank you for being my childhood Lois Lane and inspiring me to Gran Danvers.





	1. Been Brought Low

It had taken Sandy some time to get her de facto granddaughter-in-law and her child calm enough to eat something light, all while providing warm cuddles. They were still exhausted, but Lena would not unwind until Kara called in and the best friends talked for a few minutes. With mutual reassurances, they both sounded a little bit better, and Lena's small ease translated to Tilly.

Herding them off to bed was easy after that.

Understandably restless, Tilly had clambered back and forth between Reba's bed, where Sandy was doing her best to get some sleep, and where Lena had once again curled up in Eliza's bed. If the child catnapped for longer than twenty minutes, it would be a shock to both adults. When Lena did finally awaken after some actual sleep, she found Bug blinking wearily at her where she was lovingly trapped as the tiny spoon in her great-grandmother's arms.

Bug looked as exhausted as Lena felt.

Wearily standing, Lena crouched next to the other bed and leaned in to kiss Tilly between the eyes.

"Rest some more, sweet girl. When you get hungry, come find me and I'll tell you any news, okay?"

"Okay."

"I love you."

It was the right thing to say, at the right time, a shuddering sigh rattling Bug's small frame. "Love you too, Mommy."

Lena only just managed to fight down more emotional tears as she kissed her daughter's forehead again, noting Sandy's little smile as she stood and slipped out. Most of the gang were once again sprawled out all over Edna's living room and Lena felt odd, almost out of place. It was as though nothing had changed and the whole gang of them were just sleeping off another fun day, not the reality of Alex in the hospital with her immediate family watching over her.

Not wanting to wake anyone, she slipped next door, startled to recognize the lowered tones of her assistant. Who was intently talking with Cat.

"Oh Lena," Jess said quietly and startled her boss and friend by rushing over and enveloping her in a crushing hug. For a moment, Lena forgot how to react, forgot that she could react now, that she didn't have to be cold and stoic and aloof. 

Still, old habits were comforting ones and she couldn't get herself to quite unfreeze. But she did cling back and breathe harshly into Jess' hair for long moments. "I'm really glad you're here. I miss seeing you all the time."

"Me too. Come sit and let me get you some coffee. Not as your assistant, but as your friend."

There was no arguing that. Collapsing to the couch beside a notably quiet and worried Cat, she just soaked up the rosy dawn sky and tried to exist in the moment. It was a mental breather only broken up by a welcome mug of coffee. More long minutes of fragile peace passed with little more than faint snores of Carter in the nearby bed.

Cat somehow timed it perfectly.

"Do you need some help, Lena?"

It was a quiet, unchallenging question and Lena took a moment to react, giving Jess a wan smile.

"Are things getting that bad?"

For a moment, Jess looked like the proverbial deer in the headlights, her dark eyes flicking rapidly between her companions. Then they both huffed lightly in humor, nearly in sequence. 

"In her defense," Cat said dryly. "I asked her essentially the same thing. Because everyone knows the really good executive assistants know more of what's going on than anyone else in a company."

"Very true."

"I-- I didn't talk about anything specific, Lena," Jess worriedly tried to explain and Lena waved off the apology with as much smile as she could manage in the moment.

"Jess, you're fine. An expert opinion is welcome at this point, because I'm in way over my head and that must be glaringly obvious to even the most oblivious observers. I can imagine investors are circling like sharks around a shipwreck by now and the stocks must be a house of horrors. It says a lot that I barely care."

The quiet was not a comfortable one and once again, Cat broke it with her quiet firmness.

"Hire me."

That broke through Lena's lassitude. "What?"

"Temporarily. I could use a challenge, you are in desperate need of expert help, and frankly, I could use some healthy outlet for a lot of pent-up stresses."

For a moment, Lena could only study the calm, mercurial eyes of her fellow CEO and try and figure her out. Then, she realized the universe had provided her with the best emergency solution possible. She simply did not have the mental facilities to deal with this right now and there were billions of dollars and thousands of jobs on the line.

Cat saw the acceptance in Lena's gaze and smiled with more warmth. "Besides, I threatened to steal Jess from you on Christmas, and I never back down from a promise."

Despite everything going on, Lena laughed hoarsely.

While they went over the barest details about the proposition, the others started straggling in. it was Kyra that entered first, looking like she'd barely slept. She didn't even bother with coffee, but padded over to squish in beside Lena and engulf her in a sideways hug. Susan and Reba weren't far behind, herding a yawning Maggie in ahead of them. No one interrupted the negotiations, but made sure to make the effort to go out of their way to give Lena a touch. She soaked up the little squeezes to her shoulders, the way Reba used her 'elder mom' status to kiss the top of her head.

"So we can do this today?" Jess asked with desperate hope written all over her. Lena felt badly at how her own dramas had left Jess doing far too much.

"Yes. The sooner the better. In fact, if you contact Sam Arias, perhaps she might be a good solution?"

"Oh, that's a good idea. She's been contracting her services out of Metropolis, right? Didn't make the move?"

"That's right. And her replacement sucks. Maybe a promotion might sweeten the deal. And I miss her."

"I'll definitely contact her."

With things settled as much as they could be, Lena put a hand on Cat's arm and did her best to just be grateful for all these crazy, amazing people she'd found herself among. "Thank you. I really mean that."

Cat's smile said enough.

\----

In a month and a half, Kara would have spent thirteen years on the beautiful water world of Earth. And, but for those first few days, she had been a Danvers. Through all the good and bad, she had Alex and Eliza, even Jeremiah for that all too short period of time. They had been her family, the emotional rocks she had needed so badly when everything she had ever been was ripped away from her.

Now, she was their rock, Eliza sound asleep, slumped all over her, Alex breathing quietly in the bed beside them. The monitoring equipment stuck to her remained quiet, her color slowly improving as the drugs and medicines took effect. The infection had been teetering right at the edge of dangerous, pushing up her body temperature and sending deadly chemicals out into her body. The source was gone now and she was healing.

But she'd had to lose a hand to do it.

There was a lot of anger in Kara. The rage of losing more than anyone on this planet could truly understand, the very bones of her world little more than an asteroid field now. She was a relic of a culture and language scrubbed from the stars. Maybe a hand might seem insignificant in comparison, but this was Alex, who she adored and hero-worshipped endlessly. This fundamental shift in self was going to be hard on her.

The rage in Kara almost wished Hank Henshaw were still alive.

The twisted connections between all of them were a tangle of threads in her mind. Lillian, Cadmus, Jeremiah, Henshaw, Zor-El, the Medusa Virus, Lena and Alex and the Mutates, it went on and on and on.

Maybe she needed to ask Gran if she knew any good therapists with the sort of clearance that Kara could be completely honest with. Her little huff of amusement coincided with Alex's nose wrinkling up and her eyelashes fluttering.

"Eliza," Kara prodded softly, gently digging her fingers into her shoulder. "She's waking up."

While Eliza blinked awake, Kara steadied her for a moment before standing and looming over her sister. Those familiar eyes were every bit as hazy as the first emergency surgery and Kara was not even a little surprised by the slurred, " _ehrosh bem_."

It would have been gibberish to anyone else anyway, but without superhearing, Kara wouldn't have been able to pick out the mangled Kryptonese through the lightweight oxygen mask.

"Hello to you too. Why is it that you forget how to speak English when you're stoned?"

The wheezy little giggle made Alex sound like she were a small child again, the illusion helped by the way she lit up at Eliza tucking herself in next to Kara. "Hi, sweetie. It's good to see you awake." She pet back the messy red hair and the bare parts of Alex's face. "Don't try and talk. You're okay and we're here. That's all you need to worry about right now. Just rest and know we're here."

Even as Alex was trying to tense up the muscles in her arms to make them move, Kara blurred into motion, gently clamping the injured one to the bed. It said a lot that Alex barely seemed to notice the restraint or the nurse that bustled in now that she was awake.

There wasn't much coherent that anyone could get out of the addled Alex. Even when Lena arrived and readily joined in a group hug with Kara and Eliza.

"I hope I haven't overstepped," she said quietly into their sunshine manes. "But I rented a hotel room nearby and had Reba pack some clothes and sundries since she's spent more time with you at the lofts. If you'd like a hot shower and some sleep in a real bed, I'll be here with Alex for at least a few hours. Sandy has Matilda and Cat has been hired by this absentee CEO to take her place for the foreseeable future." They both leaned away and blinked at her, noting the tremulous smile. "It's been a busy day."

The tears in Lena's eyes trickled down her cheeks as Eliza kissed her softly on the forehead. "Thank you, sweetie. That was very thoughtful, and as much as I hate to leave, I think that's a great idea."

Sniffling, Lena wallowed for a long moment in the maternal care she'd craved for a lifetime, before she remembered she had other news. "Oh, Kara. A city building inspector showed up at the building about half an hour ago. You had an appointment?"

For a moment, Kara had no idea what she meant. "No, that's the twelfth. Not today. Today is only the second."

"You might have mixed up your twos then. The gang has already rallied and is keeping him occupied with some coffee and pastries, but if you swing by and authorize one or two of them to do the inspection in your stead? Get a breath of fresh air maybe?"

She was wheedling and she knew it, but Kara looked very emotionally brittle around the edges and a little time to process and soak up the sun couldn't hurt. Torn, so very, very torn, Kara was paralyzed for a moment, just wanting the world to fuck off for a few days so that she could take care of her family!

But her family was larger now. And Lena was here, her eyes soft and understanding. If she could step away and take care of responsibilities while loving Alex so much, than Kara could too. Nodding mutely, she wrapped Lena up in a hug just a little too strong and whispered out a thank you she wouldn't even realize until much later that she'd voiced in her native tongue.

With the jittery energy of the Danvers women out of the room, it was just Lena's own stress and adoration clogging up her senses. Alex looked almost frail in the hospital bed, and so very, very young.

Taking a seat, she took up that limp left hand in her own, gratefully curling them together and pressing soft kisses to cool skin. 

"Hey, Tiger," she said softly, wanting and dreading the brown eyes to open. "I've missed you. We're doing okay, me and Bug and everyone else. Just worried for you and looking forward to having you back with us."

Facial features twitching and muttering incoherently, Alex tightened her grip enough to draw Lena's hand over her heart. Ecstatic with the subconscious acceptance, Lena rested her head on the edge of the bed and just watched the familiar profile with adoring eyes.


	2. Delirious Travels

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With a variety of distractions, not the least of which is the Winter Olympics, this story has become extra slow going. This chapter is a bit short, but the note it ended on was too perfect to push. Stay tuned!

Having walked Eliza over to the hotel room, Kara slipped away and whipped into her supersuit to take to the skies. Lena was right, the sun and wind felt glorious, soothing her just a bit. Landing in her familiar dingy alley near her home was a relief of sorts, a small normality she hung onto for the moments she had it.

The way the stranger in her loft looked at her made her want to punch him.

Holding up a hand before anyone in the room could say a word, Kara spoke with a voice so deliberately even that there was no mistaking the danger lurking below it.

"Look, Mister whatever your name is. I can see that you'd like to say a great many things about my wasting your time, etcetera. I'm only here to authorize someone to do this in my place because I have been awake since the morning of the thirty-first. I have just taken a taxi across most of the length of the city from the UCNC Medical Center where my sister is in recovery after emergency surgery to amputate her right hand. You'll have to understand that I had forgotten about an appointment." Her calm broke into a snarl at the officious little man. It startled everyone in the room, that hint of her rage close to the surface.

Thankfully, the inspector backed down. "My apologies, Miss Danvers, I didn't realize. A designated representative will be fine."

Wrestling down her feelings, Kara stiffly walked into her apartment, noting the quiet gathering of her family and friends. Any of them she'd trust with the task at hand, though Maggie was out with that broken leg and Gran was not escaping Bug's clutches any time soon.

"Reba? Do you think you and Susan could do this for me? You've already been involved with what little we talked out about the project and Susan, you're the most astute person I know. You won't miss a thing."

"Of course we will, honey," Reba assured her while Susan nodded along. That the task reassured Susan-- so recently laid low with a head injury-- was a gratifying bonus.

"If you get tired, tag team off with Gran or Kyra, okay?" Kara insisted and Susan's smile deepened.

"You got it. We'll get plenty of pictures and video."

"Perfect." 

Giving the pair a quick hug, Kara knelt down with a hand on her grandmother's knee. The coppery-gold eyes of the misfit child they'd all fallen in love with watched her with unblinking intensity.

"Hey, cute niece. Look, your moms are going to be okay, okay? Alex is in recovery and healing up and her vitals are already better. But she's going to have some different healing to do than just the physical stuff. It's her mind that's going to have to deal with losing such an important part of herself. So we're all going to be patient and supportive and we'll all get through this."

One tiny child's hug could make her feel so powerless, and yet as strong as the whole universe.

"Thank you, Auntie. Do you think I can go see Mama soon?"

"The minute she's fully aware of what is going on, I'll come get you myself. I promise."

It was a relief to escape the gazes of the gang, the sympathy in their eyes that was a reminder of the stresses too close. The instant she deemed it safe, Kara was once more Supergirl, streaking towards the patchy clouds like a rocket. Arching her trajectory high over National City, she angled towards the water. Taking a deep breath, Kara plunged into the cold sea, poured on enough speed to turn water to steam and sending plumes high enough to look like a running explosion. She wanted to scream with frustration and hurt.

She barely remembered to hang a hard left and avoid slamming into Catalina Island. That would have been messy. As it was, she probably scared the small population there half to death. She hadn't even realized she'd gone so far south and popped out of the water to ensure she hadn't damaged anything in her wake.

Reassured and having no doubt doubly shocked the small population that resided in the one tiny port on the protected island, she zipped away. Past the dinky one-strip airport, she found the tallest peak where the top had been flattened for some sort of equipment installed there. Settling to the roof of the shed near the equipment, she stared over the water and to the distant shore beyond.

Water was Alex's element and she had gently introduced Kara to the sheer unfamiliarity of it. There had been little open water on Krypton, and what was left had been poisoned along with everything else. She'd gawked at the blue of Earth as she hurtled towards it in her pod, had been breathless to stand on the cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean where her new home lay.

Water was insidious, ever-changing. Soft as steam, hard as ice, it conformed to the space that contained it but ever pressed against it, wanting out. It trickled into the tiniest crack and could wear down a continent, given time and persistence. So deadly, so live-giving and so, so beautiful. Yes, water was definitely Alex's element.

Feeling much more settled in her skin, Kara swept over the forty miles of ocean and did a flyover of her city before returning to the vicinity of the hospital.

\----

Alex hated the drowsy, heavy feeling of having overslept too much. Or maybe suffering from illness, that drag of exhaustion that made it difficult to coordinate brain to limbs, breath heavy in her chest. Or… her body fighting to heal itself.

Blinking open her eyes, Alex took stock of a pleasantly boring hospital room with cloudy winter sunlight in the big window, a smattering of medical equipment, and a modular couch pulled out into a narrow bed.

On which was curled her Lena. She looked peaceful except for a pucker of feeling between her dark brows, barely visible above the pile of blankets rucked up around her ears.

"Hey babe," Alex croaked and chuckled lightly at how wrecked her voice sounded. This being injured and feeling ill thing was getting old. "Leeeeena."

The sing-song tease got a cute little wrinkle of reaction and Alex sluggishly moved her arm to reach out towards the anchor of her. When those beautiful eyes fluttered open, Alex could feel the dopey grin on her own face.

"Hey."

Inhaling sharply, Lena threw back the bedding and rolled to her feet in one fluid motion. A moment later, Alex was curling her arm around her lover as she crouched over the bed to hug as best she could.

"Alex," she whispered hoarsely, pressing kisses to every bit of skin she could reach. Only Lena's lips skirting over the tape and tube of the nasal cannula alerted Alex to its presence. "Hey, baby."

With that beautiful dark hair a curtain around their faces, Alex grinned and returned the sweet little kisses.

"I never thought I'd like that pet name, but do."

There was a soggy edge to Lena's little laugh that matched the gleam of tears in her eyes. "Good, because I want to call you that for a good, long time."

Happy to ignore the reality around them for a few blissful moments, Alex soaked up the gentle play of Lena's lips over her facial features, a though helping settling her back in her skin. Eventually, she spoke almost without thinking, her voice quiet in the intimate space. "You haven't asked me how I'm feeling."

"I figure I'd let you wake up completely first." The gentle smile was clear in the words.

"So can we jus' get this over with?"

"What?"

"It was a nice nap, but there's no sense putting this off."

Pulling back a bit, It was clear Lena was utterly confused and that in turn confused Alex. 

"We still gotta do this surgery? Right?"

There was stress under the questions, not helped by the dawning understanding in Lena's expression, the deep sympathy in her eyes.

"Oh, my sweet Tiger, it's done."

The click of the door barely registered, nor Lena whipping up one hand to shoo the invader away.

"It's the afternoon of the third now."

For a long moment, Alex let that sink in, to notice that the dull ache she'd become so accustomed to did indeed feel different. Somehow, with the miasma of drugs and pain… she had lost two whole days. So achingly empathetic to her love's pain, Lena pressed soft kisses to her watering eyes, her forehead, cheekbones.

Only then did Alex feel strong enough to look over.

The lamed right arm lay peacefully on a foam block topped by a pillow. Swaddled loosely from the elbow down, the IV tube trailing from the edges, it didn't seem so bad.

Except that her arm was now some five inches shorter than it had been.

Memories cascaded through Alex's still-addled mind. Of the hellish pit in the ground where she had faced off with the monster who had as good as killed her father, and done his best to kill Kara and J'onn and Maggie and Lena alike. The agony of shattered bones, of surgery, of infection hiding behind severed nerves.

And now… most of that hand was gone.

The hiccup of a sob only surprised Lena in that she expected her over-brave love to fight it harder.

"I'm here," she whispered and pressed close. "I'm here."


	3. Hope In Your Smile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really gotta get back into Alex's head and how she's dealing with this, but as the long delay in updating proves, I've been having some trouble with that! In the meantime, here's some random interactions as she begins recovering. I love you guys! Thanks for being patient.

Alex half-woke to the sound of relaxed, beloved voices, but was too warm and drowsy to move.

"Why are we 'Lofty crew'?"

"Because I'm clever and whimsical--"

"And modest."

"And I prefer to keep identities a secret unless it's a non-shadowy business contact."

"What, like informants?"

"I have those too. But I also have cases where I want them to be protected from prying eyes. Distinctive monikers trigger my brain. Can you figure them all out?"

"Are you a betting woman, Detective?"

"You're on."

That certainly didn't surprise Alex, she was all too familiar with Maggie's competitive nature. After some sounds of movement, Lena's wry tone carried to Alex's ears. 

"Five dollars?"

"Oh get off me, Mommy Warbucks, it's the first thing I grabbed out of my wallet."

"I only have a twenty."

"Of course you do."

Alex barely slit her eyes open to watch Lena stick her tongue out at a smirking Maggie. She had her elbows braced on the bed and was fiddling with a smartphone while Maggie was slouched into one of the padded chairs on the other side, her broken leg slung up onto the bed. 

"Besides, you have us all on one list, so I already have a leg up."

"I should put you on a timer for my fiver."

"Rude," Lena sassed mildly, her teasing grin so beautiful to Alex. "BadassGran has to be Sandy."

"She told me flattery would get me everywhere and who am I to argue with a pretty lady who could kick my ass despite being old enough to be my mother twice over?"

"Just Danvers must be Alex? That seems a bit… ordinary for this list."

"Work contact first and I have some sense of professionalism."

"So not so clever and whimsical then."

"Sassy."

"What, are you new here?"

Their quiet laughter warmed Alex completely where she listened to the byplay.

"DoctorD. Hmmm… I feel like I'm watching Kim Possible again after so many years."

"Good taste. Sheego was hot."

Lena chuckled but didn't dispute the statement. "Oh! It's Eliza of course. Goggles. Hmm. Can I come back to it?"

"Hey, process of elimination sounds like cheating."

"Sawyer, it's five fucking dollars."

Sighing melodramatically, Maggie waved off the objections. "Fine, Miss Ruthless Tycoon, have it your way, steal away my hard-earned funds. I see how it is."

Lena's dry look almost cracked Alex's laughter loose, but she managed to stifle it down.

"JrCat. Well Supercat I know, and that's a good one, very sly. So… wait, did you get Carter's phone number?"

"Yep. It's habit now, to collect numbers, even from a tweeny kid."

"Huh. Okay, I'll buy that. L-eyes and LL2IC. I see Lucifer here, oh Lucy must have loved that one."

"I kept Director Hotness for a bit, but that one suits her better."

"Truth. L-eyes. Wait, that's me! The dash gave it away, like my corporation name."

"Bingo. And those eyes of yours are distinctive."

"Oh don't start flirting now and make it weird."

Maggie's belly laugh warmed the room.

"She's either really out or pretending to be asleep."

"She's getting sleep or entertainment, either is good for her."

"Fair. So, come on, LL2IC."

"Would you be mad if I confess I know who it is, because I know the number?"

"Damn! Of course you do."

"Still, what does it mean?"

"Your initials and the military shorthand for 'second in command'."

"Oh! That fits Jess perfectly. Since Redjr and Redmom can only be Kyra and Reba."

"Not original, but distinctive."

"Fair. Sdad? That makes no sense. Hmm… Well, Snaps must be James with his original job. SunnyD is easy knowing that Kara is on this list. I covered Supercat already and…" Looking up with a puzzled expression, Lena cocked her head off to one side. "Thor? But you have Kara in here already."

Maggie just grinned slyly, her whole expression so warm that Alex would have once been weak in the knees. Then Lena perked up eagerly.

"Angie! When Kara picked her up so easily at the party, she teased Kara about being Thor!"

A fingergun of approval and Maggie's grin was confirmation enough.

"So, Goggles. That has to be Winn, for the gaming control glasses he gifted to Alex?"

"Yep!"

"Sdad. Hmmm." The room was quiet except for the tap of what must be Lena's foot against the floor. Alex waited her out until she sensed Lena was getting frustrated before she croaked out the answer.

"J'onn."

Instantly, both women looked over to her face, Alex finally letting loose the smile that had wanted out the whole conversation.

"You cheated!" Maggie mock raged. "Cheated me out of twenty bucks!"

"Oh keep it, you drama queen," Lena sassed and stood to lean over Alex and press her lips to the side of her nose, tickling her eyelashes. "But what does it mean?"

Alex's rolling chuckle held Maggie from answering. "Space dad."

Then it was Lena's turn to belly laugh.

"S'what's the gossip?" Alex quipped and it was Maggie that answered airily, waving a hand about.

"Where do we even start? Lucy has been sending concern and idle threats."

"I think fire ants were mentioned," Lena commented at the odd friends nodded sagely at one another.

"That was a good one. Wasn't there a hungry circus bear in there somewhere?"

Lena scoffed. "Smartass. On a more serious vein, I hired Cat to helm L-Corp indefinitely. It was her idea, actually, and Jess has been doing too much. I think I have an old friend mostly convinced to make the move west and take the position more permanently. She's talking things out with her daughter and will let me know."

Lena startled and fell quiet as Alex reached out to cup her cheek, rubbing her thumb over her lower lip. The dark expressive eyes were deep and soulful. "Are you sure about that? L-Corp means so much to you."

Once again struck by her love's sweetness, Lena cupped her hands around Alex's and smiled tremulously. "I'm sure. Frankly, I'm at a mental place right now where a huge part of me doesn't give a good goddamn if the whole thing burns to the ground. And that is no position to be in. Besides, too many people would be hurt all over again in my being negligent. All of you have taught me that I don't have to do everything myself."

Alex's smile was pure adoration. "That's my girl."

They were lost in one another for a long moment, Lena kissing Alex's palm. Eventually those green eyes shifted over to Maggie, who was smiling gently.

"Do you want to tell her about the building?"

"I get to be the bearer of bad news? Ruthless, Luthor."

The drawling sass earned Maggie another of Lena's dryly amused looks.

"Seriously, drama queen. So, a city building inspector showed up at the Hudson on Monday."

"I didn't say I wouldn't do it."

The couple both gave Maggie a long look that made her laugh and wave them off. Alex focused her attention back on Lena.

"Yeah? Oh, I see the news isn't good by your expression. How bad can it be?"

"Well… Sandy and Susan went around with the eviction notices today."

Alex blinked in shock. "That bad?"

"Truthfully, if the building wasn't all masonry, it would probably be a parking lot. It's going to be a gut job on an epic scale."

"Ouch. Are you still up for something really extensive?"

"Are you kidding? I'm looking forward to it!"

"Is Kara really upset?"

It was just like Alex to worry about others before herself and Lena gave her a sweet kiss.

"Probably, but she's far more worried about you. She should be back soon with your mother and/or grandmother."

"Had to fuel the nuclear stomach," Maggie interjected and looked up thoughtfully. "Hey, she's an alien. Do you think she might actually be nuclear powered?"

The couple looked oddly at her and Maggie shrugged before going back to fiddling with her phone.

"Just curious is all."

Shaking her head, Lena refocused on a smirking Alex. "So, get this, Sandy and the Grants are going to start quietly buying up the block the Hudson building is on. You didn't hear it from me, but I think Cat might be pulling in favors from people she knows on the city roster."

"I'm not hearing this!" Maggie yelled and clapped her hands over her ears, making stupid 'la-la-la' sounds. It made Lena giggle and Alex to grin widely. 

"There's an old hotel on the other end of the block, the white one with the green trim?"

"I remember it. Always looked like a gem under the grime."

"Turns out it was the backdrop for the Doors album, Hotel Morrison. I think Cat's hot and bothered for the possibilities of owning it. Between the two of us we can come up with the funding for the rest of the block."

"The whole block?"

"Call it a trophy project, love. Besides, parking sucks in downtown."

Earning Alex's warm laugh gave Lena a thrill every time, but it felt all the more special in the midst of this stressful situation. 

"Personally I think Sandy is going to use the project to teach Carter the building blocks of world domination," Maggie mused thoughtfully. "What do you think?"

"Oh no, you don't want to mix a Luthor with world domination."

Both Alex and Maggie blinked at Lena, completely nonplussed. She looked sheepish. "Too much?"

The laughter hurt in the best way.


	4. The Healing Don't Come Easy

Alex was more than happy to let Lena and Maggie entertain her. Or more specifically, to keep her slowly clearing head away from the reality of her hand. 

"Ugh, I hate this empty-belly feeling, but I'm not actually hungry, y'know? In fact, the idea of food right now is actually making me actively nauseous."

"That's the IV talking," Maggie said evenly and Alex grumbled.

"I know, but it still feels weird."

With clearer thoughts came the doubts and memories and the terrifying 'what ifs' and 'now whats' that clamored for her attention. 

When the hospital room door opened to a trio of welcome faces, Alex was so grateful to see them that she was all choked up. Still, she had to tease, it was in her nature. "I hear you're teaching the Grantling about world domination."

For a moment Sandy looked nonplussed-- no small feat there-- and she shot a wry look at a faintly sheepish Lena and a completely unrepentant Maggie.

"Yes. Just wait until Matilda starts picking up my tricks."

"Oh, god help us all," Alex sassed back and then gentled, soaking up the warm kiss her grandmother pressed between her eyebrows. "Thanks for coming back, Gran."

"I wish I'd never left, Junior." There was no mistaking the mournful note in Sandy's voice, echoed in the glassiness of her dark eyes.

"Well, you're here now. Did your doctor Abby yell at you?"

Sandy blinked in surprise for the second time in a minute. Her affectionate exasperation was as welcome and soothing as Kara or her mother reacting just that same way.

"After the days you've had, that's what you ask me? You are definitely one of mine."

There was a lull then, and Lena broke into it with a brisk tone. "Speaking of Tilly, I'm going to head out. When the gang can smuggle her in to hug you, let me know? She's terribly worried. So far, researching cybernetics is distracting her at least."

After a moment, Maggie picked up her cue, struggling into a more dignified sitting pose as best she could with her broken leg still propped up on the bed. "Yeah, sure thing. Hey, Kara? Could I beg you for a little help?"

While that task was managed and the older women settled their things around the room, Lena spent a few long moments kissing her lover and stroking her soft hair. "I'll be back later. Love you."

Thrilled that Lena had initiated the endearment, Alex felt the strength it gave her, clung to it.

"Love you too. Give Bug a big hug and kiss for me."

"With pleasure."

Reluctantly, Lena removed her touch, stepped away to catch Kara in a long hug while Maggie sorted herself onto her crutches. Something Lena said made Kara huff out a soggy laugh and cling just a teeny bit harder for a moment before they separated. Then Lena grabbed her things and shooed Maggie towards the door she opened, her merry voice carrying back to the room. 

"Did you know IV rhymes with four?"

"What? Christ, Luthor, did you just make a Latin joke at me?"

Lena's rich laugh faded as the heavy door closed behind them and Alex let the sound sink deep into her head and heart. It was an anchor to the twist of dark feelings buried deep; of not being good enough, of being damaged goods, of having her purpose ripped away from her.

"That is a weird and wonderful friendship there," Eliza commented idly and Alex smiled mischievously. 

"Not really. I have good taste."

Sandy hooted in amusement, while Eliza and Kara only blinked before smiling and shaking their heads.

 

\----

**Day Six**

Two days later, Alex was wishing for some humor and lightness in her life. She was worn down; mental, physical and emotional. 

Though, at least she'd gotten to see Bug yesterday. With Lucy running interference with all the sharp-eyed alertness of a black op, Shan was able to teleport in with an armload of sleepy seven-year-old. The conflict of joy and pain on Tilly's face was an echo of exactly how Alex felt about this whole situation. 

In a quiet not like her, Bug had snuggled into Alex's one-armed hug and they'd simply breathed together, sharing a few words of comfort and love. Time had ceased to matter as Bug cuddled with abandon, slowly succumbing to deep sleep.

Alex was loathe to give up her warmth as Shan gently gathered the child up, giving Alex a cheek rub before teleporting away once more. Lucy had silently let her be with a smooch between the eyes and the room felt much emptier without them.

Hospitals weren't her favorite, but the staff at the UCNC Medical Center was terrific-- no matter her half-mocking grumblings about alma maters. Still, the constant scrutiny due to the nature of her injuries was exhausting. Though at least she was tough and in prime physical condition, so she was healing like a champ.

Which of course meant that Alex was about ready to claw her way out of said hospital. 

Her mind was clear now, and her temper fraying. It was a relief to be whisked away from her loved ones to a small clean room where she was given a local anesthetic to numb that ravaged arm so the drainage tube could be removed. There was no more signs of infectious fluids and now, the healing was completely up to her.

Left on her own in the recovery room while she waited for a nurse to come swaddle up the surgery site once more, it was the first time Alex saw what had become of her limb.

Right up to the base of her hand, everything looked jarringly normal. The heel of her hand was there, callused and familiar, the wrinkles etched into her skin where movement had left its legacy, familiar as could be.

Everything else was just… gone.

The skin of her palm and the back of her hand had been neatly stitched around the blunt termination of the amputation, plenty of slack left to not cause any strain on her skin. The blackened sutures scabbed into place were a shocking darkness against her fair coloring and the redness of hurt and healing.

Every metacarpal and phalanx that had once been the framework of her fingers and palm were gone, carved away to become just so much medical trash. 

She stared, her mind a blank, for a long, long time.

Alex knew there were plates under there, molded to the shape of her wrist bones. They were made of surgical plastic 3D printed right there at the hospital, and locked down all of the fiddly little tendons that had once animated her fingers. She knew the damaged nerves had been carefully sewn into their protective sheaths to prevent them from trying to grow back and causing her agony, blood vessels had been closed off or rerouted and on and on and on…

The shock of the blunt termination of her arm shook her, an unavoidable, permanent reminder of this loss of self, and she had no idea what to do now.

There had been points in Alex's life where she'd been at this mental cliff, lost and at a loss, ready to scream at an uncaring universe, "Now what?"

When her dad had died, when she'd been headed for rock bottom and J'onn, in the guise of Hank Henshaw, had offered her a better path… and when she stared at the emptiness that had once been the fingers of her right hand.

Reaching up to rub at her face, Alex was unsurprised to find the wetness of tears there.

 

\----

In a mental haze, Alex was hardly aware of her loved ones welcoming her back to her hospital room, to a psychologist coming by to check her mental state. With years of DEO practice against interrogation techniques, she said what the man wanted to hear, and he left her be. 

If she didn't get out of here, she was going to go insane.

Sensing her stress, Sandy eyed her granddaughter flatly for long moments before she abruptly was all smiles and reached for her cane. "Well, all right then. Junior, you seem in good hands," she said brightly as she climbed to her feet. It was clear both Kara and Lena wanted to jump in and help, but didn't dare. "I'm going to collect Junior Two here and leave you with your lovely lady."

Lena startled, but let Sandy step over and hook a finger under her chin to press a sweetly maternal kiss on her forehead. The breath she let out had a distinctly shaky quality to it, matching the gleam of tears in her eyes. Sandy only smiled with gentle understanding and stroked a caress over Lena's dark hair.

"If you need a thing, dear, you call me. I mean that. Any time, night or day. There is nothing in that busy head of yours that will shock me."

"Okay," Lena barely managed to squeak out and willingly tilted her face up for a last little kiss between her brows. All of Alex's stresses and frustrations melted away for a moment in watching the sweet interaction. Then Sandy gave Lena a last affectionate pat and turned on Kara.

"Alright then, say good bye to your little pack here and take me home!"

"But--," Kara objected weakly and shot Alex a helpless glance as Sandy grabbed her. It never occurred to Kara to do anything but comply to being spun around and poked towards the door. With a wave from Kara, they were gone.

"Come're you," Alex coaxed, tugging at Lena's hand. With some squirming about and giggling, they were curled up in the hospital bed, Alex anchored by the warmth and feel and scents of this woman she'd fallen so hard for. No matter what happened, at least she wasn't alone for this.

She had a feeling that would be the most important part of her healing.

Snuggling as close as she could, Lena pressed a sweet kiss to that place behind Alex's ear that would set her on fire. The little shudder of reaction was reassuring to both of them.

"I really like your family," Lena murmured softly, as vulnerable as Alex had ever heard her.

"They really like you too."

Neither of them would be alone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, story time! So, I found the actual building that Kara's apartment is in on the web. The pilot was filmed there and then they built a set, which is why you may notice small discrepancies from after the pilot. (Or it could just be me, because I'm an architecture nerd.) It's an old 1920s Hudson car factory/showroom and is a really cool building.
> 
> Anyway… I found it in Google maps and really liked a few of the storefronts that run the block beside the Hudson. At the far end of the block is indeed a big white building trimmed in green. When I did a little digging, it turned out to be the old Hotel Morrison and was indeed the backdrop for the cover of The Doors album, Hotel Morrison.
> 
> And if I've repeated myself by accident? My apologies, for it's one of the hazards of being dyslexic.


	5. Bring You Back Up Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As things have been slow going with my Pyramid writing lately (been working on my book!) I'm breaking here so that I have the freedom to jump around on ficlets. This should get the muses fired up! Go bookmark the series and stay tuned. 
> 
> <3

"You seem in good spirits, Miss Danvers," the doctor said and Alex choked back the urge to snarl 'agent' at him. "And your healing has been remarkable. I think as long as you remain with a caretaker, you should be able to go home."

The surge of elation quieted when the doctor kept talking.

"But you need to return in two days to have the surgery site examined. Nothing more strenuous than walking around your home and keep that hand elevated."

He droned on about pain management and keeping the hand dry, blah, blah, blah, but Alex was barely listening. She could leave! With a trash bag of her few personal belongings dangling from Lena's left hand, Alex clung to her right and they walked out.

The cold was a slap in the face, but the fresh air off of the ocean was heavenly, Alex breathing in deep.

"You look more relaxed already," Lena murmured as she leaned in to press a kiss behind Alex's ear. 

A relaxation that vanished when an oversized black van pulled up like a movie abduction scene. Even as warrior-fast reflexes screamed through painkillers and a body still healing, the side door slid back to reveal Shan, her smile falling flat.

"Oops, startled you too. Ro, we gotta get different transportation. First Maggie and now you." Hopping out, their pal gestured into the van. "Your chariot."

Lena climbed in first, not releasing Alex's hand so that she could tug her in. Shan remained right at the edge of hovering, but didn't interfere, for which Alex was grateful. Her temper was edgy at the moment.

Then Shan took her place in the passenger seat and Ro smoothly pulled away from the hospital. Only then did Alex feel herself starting to fully unwind, clinging hard to Lena's hand and soaking up the welcome weight of her leaning into her shoulder.

For some miles in the crowded chaos that was National City on a Friday evening, Alex simply looked around at her adopted home, the population center she had sacrificed so much for. 

Would she trade it?

It wasn't an easy answer, pain still pulsing in her hand and heart. 

She knew the answer was no. Her role of protector was a hard one that asked too much of her, but she would give it anyway. For her family, for her friends, even for strangers.

Shaking off that train of thought, Alex asked a more mundane question to the van at large. "You knew we were coming. How?"

Shan glanced back at Lena with a questioning eyebrow raised and Lena nodded before focusing on Alex and her question. "It turns out our little Bug is even smarter and more charismatic than we gave her credit for. She had some questions about a micro-transceiver she got wind of on some dark corner of the web and, well…" her expression was a hilarious blend of sheepish and proud. "She hacked Bruce Wayne so that she could ask him personally."

Alex was quite sure her expression mirrored Lena's. "Bruce Wayne as in Wayne Enterprises."

"Yes. That was a fascinating phone call to say the least. I know him in passing from running similar circles, and as a business competitor, but that was definitely the longest and most personal conversation I've had with him."

Ro chimed in, the smug smile in her voice quite clear. "He was disappointed she'd already been adopted."

A little bubble of a chuckle escaped Alex and Lena was so very glad to hear the sound. Things had been so weird lately with Alex's mood understandably mercurial. Hearing her Tiger in that small, relaxed sound made her want to shudder with relief.

"He set up a blind corner in his servers for her and gently asked that she didn't go wandering in his things and well, see for yourself."

Turning her head away, Lena swept her hair away from her right ear to reveal a little lump stuck to her skin like a limpet. It blended in well enough that Alex only picked it out because of her familiarity with her lover's skin.

"Right now it only acts as a locating beacon, but she's dead certain she can create a neural interface that will work to turn it into an actual communication device. She was so worried that I couldn't tell her no."

"But it’s only been six days…" Alex found herself saying lamely as she tried to get her head around the tiny device. Finally shaking her head, Alex just let the matter go for the moment --though she was going to be having a firm, but gentle discussion with her new kid-- and nuzzled the spot where the transceiver was stuck. "And did you help her?"

The sheepish giggle was answer enough.

With it being Friday night, the city was a gridlock mess, but Alex wasn't willing to let it get to her. She was with her love and out of the stifling environment of the hospital. For the time being, she could ignore the familiar way her right arm was strapped to her torso, mauled and healing.

"Do you want me to tell the others we're headed home?" Lena asked softly and rubbed her nose into Alex's hair. She smelled of hospital and herself and it was a bit jarring.

"God no," Alex's scoff was harsh, even to her own ears and she swallowed down her temper when Lena flinched. "Sorry, Lee. I'm just frayed by all of this and being fussed over will make me snap. I'd rather avoid being that asshole for as long as possible."

After a long moment, Lena nodded where she remained pressed to her lover's scalp. "Still, they'll worry if you're not at the hospital."

Breathing out harshly to try and dislodge some of her negative, anxious energy, Alex accepted that she was right.

"If I might?" Shan offered gently and shook her phone at them. "There's no point in going back to the Hudson right now anyway. The gang will understand you wanting a quiet night."

"Except maybe Kara," Ro couldn't resist teasing and Alex had to scoff out a small laugh.

"Except definitely Kara. Yeah, if you'd tell them, that would be great, Shan, thanks. Who's staying with Tilly anyway?"

"Your mother and Gran Sandy. They're good at corralling Tilly to occasionally eat and sleep. Better than I am." Alex recognized the tremor in Lena's voice, that thrum of self-doubt that still plagued them both. 

"We'll figure out this parenting thing together, Lee."

"I hate these stupid seatbelts right now," Lena whined as she squirmed around. "I really want to hold you."

An actual smile tilted up Alex's mouth as pure adoration soothed down her roughest edges. With all they had been through, both she and Lena could love and worry a healthy amount over their loved ones.

It was certainly enough.

Eventually, the van finally made it to the fortress of condos and parked in a ADA parking spot with the temporary pass Alex merited. It was none too soon too, because Alex was about to burst if she didn't get a shot at a toilet. She'd never been so grateful to Lena's fancy building that kept a small bathroom at the ready right there in the lobby. Though she did have to call Lena in to help her resituate her underwear and pajama pants.

"I'm mostly ambidextrous, but a waistband is beyond my coordination right now," she joked lamely, but it was worth it to see a little of the stress leave Lena's eyes.

The condo was quiet, Eliza appearing from the den as they entered, her entire face lighting up like a sun.

"Alex…"

She almost made it to her eldest before Tilly appeared at the door to the second private room, her forlorn expression slowly coming back to life.

"Mama?"

"It's me, sweet girl. Come give me a hug?"

Sobbing wildly, Bug crashed into her too hard, strong little arms python-tight around her waist, her whole body shaking. Lena pressed close, Eliza carefully tucking herself along the wounded arm to hug them both, all three adults petting Tilly's wiry hair.

"You're home," the child cried, her tail lashing with all the conflicting emotion inside of her.

"I'm home."

Anxious and a little wild-eyed, Tilly wouldn't let Alex go. She even hovered outside the bathroom door, bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet, until she could get her hands on Alex's waistband once more. 

It was trying on her patience, but Alex understood the response. It hadn't even been three weeks since the child had been pulled out of that hellhole in the desert and this had been no small disruption to her new world. 

The whole Danvers clan, including Lena and Winn, crammed into the little den and had a quiet dinner and watched Lilo and Stitch. It seems appropriate under the circumstances. Bug barely managed to stay awake until the end, talking along with the blue alien. "This is my family. They're little, and broken, but still good. Ya, still good."

Alex felt it, in her mother and her grandmother, in the distant presence of her father, wherever he might be. She saw it in the adoptees she loved, each of them coming from horrific backgrounds, each of them good, loving souls. Sniffling a little, she pet Kara and Bug's hair where they were sprawled out with heads in her lap, nuzzled Lena's hair where she was snuggled into her side. She even reached out socked toes and gave Winn a few friendly pokes.

With the movie over, Mom and Gran helped her up, gave her a kiss on forehead and a closed eye, and sent her off to bed with her little pack. With a change of clothes and a halfhearted attempt at brushing her teeth, it was into the enormous, luxurious bed. 

The rip of Velcro was loud in the room, as was Alex's low sound of relief and pain as her arm came free of its medical bondage. She let it rest quietly on her belly while Kara poured Tilly into her favorite spot, sprawled out on Alex's legs, head on her belly. The child never woke, but did snuggle in with a little animal sound.

"You can stay," Alex said quietly and Kara's smile was pure adoration.

"I'll be close, I promise."

It was enough.

Lena hugged her dearest friend and went to get ready for bed, pausing in her return to watch Alex stroke Tilly's head so tenderly.

"Y'know, I was fully prepared to fall into some destructive funk. To fall back to old habits and go dark and angsty," Alex whispered and when she looked up at Lena, her eyes were overflowing. "But then you touched me and she looked at me like I was still her hero and Kara and my mom and Gran hugged me and--" her voice shattered into a wrenching sob. "I'm not alone in this, right?"

Slipping into the bed, Lena gently set the ravaged hand to lie on the pillow and snuggled into her love. There was no hesitation in Alex to press her face hard to Lena's scalp, let the hot tears fall into the dark strands. With her own voice hoarse with emotion, she clung tight, feeling the shudders wrack through Alex.

"You are not alone in this, my love."

It was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was actually prepared to go all dark and angsty with this, but that's not really me, is it? And it's not really them either. Oh, hints of that will still be around, after all, these poor fools have been through so much, but they'll be all right in the end.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, there is a mention of the Arias family here. Lena could use more family and friends. That said, I will not be using the Krypton/Reign angle on Sam's character. It's too convoluted to my universe and will take too much time away from my focus. I'll reiterate all of this once I actually bring them in.


End file.
